New University City sports bar touts air-fried wings, grease-free game day eats
There’s nothing like snapping your teeth into crispy chicken wings while you cheer on your favorite Charlotte sports team. Enduring oily fingertips — and the subsequent pile of greasy napkins? Not as enjoyable.
That won’t be an issue at Crazy Legs Sports Café, the newest sports bar in University City.
The eatery calls itself the “No. 1 air-fried restaurant in the world,” promising a “100% grease-free” alternative to classic bar bites.
It officially opened in February, just steps from the JW Clay Boulevard/UNC Charlotte light rail station.
“It’s been a journey ... because it’s a newer concept,” co-owner Devante Powell told CharlotteFive. “But people have been very, very inviting” and open to what the sports café has to offer.
Powell, a native of Flint, Michigan, launched the business alongside his best friend and business partner, Wilson Rogers, after moving his family to Charlotte four years ago. So what can you expect?
Wing baskets are made-to-order, and there are a dozen sauces to choose from. Think: classic barbecue, ranch, lemon pepper, honey garlic and sweet chili, just to name a few.
Burgers and fries are also on the menu, alongside chicken tenders, brisket sliders and loaded salmon bowls. The seafood pizza — a 14-inch pie topped with salmon and shrimp, plus special sauce for dipping — is also a crowd favorite.
And there’s more coming down the pipeline.
“We were known for our turkey legs back in Michigan,” Powell said, adding: “We pull the bone out and serve it that way. That’s where the ‘crazy legs’ (moniker) comes from.”
“We haven’t released (it) here in Charlotte yet, but we are making the adjustments with our smokers.”
Powell said he hopes to roll them out in the next few months.
Beyond sips and noshes, Crazy Legs Sports Café also has a live podcast studio where the community is invited to talk all things sports and sports culture.
A family affair
For the Michigan native, it was the culture, welcoming atmosphere and potential for growth in Charlotte that drew him and his family to the city.
“It seems like Charlotte is moving forward instead of backward,” Powell said, describing a sharp contrast from his hometown, where residents are still dealing with fallout from a deadly water crisis more than a decade later.
“University City felt like a little part of home,” he added. “It’s diverse,” and its proximity to UNC Charlotte was a bonus.
At Crazy Legs, customers can expect to be treated like family because it’s truly a family affair. Powell’s mom is the bar manager, his brother helps lead the kitchen staff and his son is the general manager.
“The community has been very welcoming,” he said. “Everyone loves us.”
Powell is already thinking ahead and said he hopes to expand the brand to other areas of the city, including uptown, and even elsewhere in North Carolina.
Crazy Legs Sports Café
Location: 9325 JW Clay Blvd #222, Charlotte, NC 28262
Cuisine: Wings, burgers, fries and more
Instagram: @crazylegsclt
This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 8:54 AM.